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Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Whispering Death on December 17, 2020, 08:26:55 AM

Title: Steaming dents out of bats
Post by: Whispering Death on December 17, 2020, 08:26:55 AM

Apologies if this has been posted already but couldn't find anything.

What's the best way to steam dents out of a bat? Have heard people talk about it but have never done it.

Hermes decided to throw around a second hand bat I've just received...

Title: Re: Steaming dents out of bats
Post by: velvetsky01 on December 17, 2020, 08:45:50 AM

a good way is using an iron - place a damp (only slightly damp mind) cloth over the area and then use the steam from the iron on the cloth - remove the cloth to sort of manuove the dent. It takes a bit of time but does work - your need to either oil/wax or buff the area after you have done so

If you check my instagram page out there is a before and after post of me doing this

Theres a youtube video too i think from cricketbatinfo too

Title: Re: Steaming dents out of bats
Post by: KettonJake on December 17, 2020, 09:02:35 AM

I just use some blue tack to wedge the switch on a kettle down so that it continues to boil over (make sure you fill it so you don't risk boiling all the water off and cooking the element)

Cover any areas of wood that you don't want steam to get to with a combination of plastic bags and tape, then hold the dented area in the jet of steam for a few seconds, withdraw it and assess, repeat as necessary until you are happy.

As eluded to above, the steam strips the finish away completely, it looks and feels awful afterwards, so you have to be prepared to do some very fine grade sanding and finishing with wax or similar if you want a decent finish again. This is why it is important to cover up other areas of the bat.

Title: Re: Steaming dents out of bats
Post by: i12breakfree on December 17, 2020, 10:50:23 AM

This works

https://youtu.be/925kveHfi9w

Title: Re: Steaming dents out of bats
Post by: SurreySam on December 17, 2020, 04:07:46 PM

I've used steam to bring out some yorker damage as well as minor dinks.  For larger stuff I like to wet the dent with an earbud dipped in water, steam it and then let it cool down a bit. If the dent needs more work, then re-wet if necessary and go again, once happy get a hair drier and on a gentle heat dry the area out. The key thing is slow and steady and try to avaid stickers, as you'll get bubbling underneath.

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50730169776_5208a95e18_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50730264652_6e2609c08f_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50730264627_afaf7ec9ef_b.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50730169651_771fbfc9b8_b.jpg)